Many states have enacted legislation requiring that beverage containers carry a redemption deposit to encourage recycling. For example, a number of states impose redemption deposits of up to fifteen cents for each can, bottle, and/or other container sold. In other states in which no redemption deposit is imposed there have been extensive efforts to encourage voluntary recycling by consumers of beverage containers.
Typically, after the beverages stored in containers have been consumed, the consumer transports the containers to a return center (e.g., at a retail location such as a supermarket, or a stand-alone redemption center). The consumer may be forced to wait in line while an attendant at the return center serves other consumers. When the consumer presents the containers to the attendant, the consumer waits while the attendant counts, sorts and verifies the containers. The attendant may provide value to the consumer in exchange for the containers, such as legal tender in the amount of the total redemption deposit or some other value. Given that the consumer may be forced to wait for a significant period to receive a relatively small value in exchange for the containers, the consumer may be dissuaded from returning containers. This may hinder efforts to encourage recycling.
A return center generally houses a large, cumbersome apparatus designed to destroy containers so that the material from they are formed may be recovered for reuse. Generally, the apparatus occupies a large amount of floor space, which may be costly when located in a retail location, since that floor space might otherwise be used to stock products for sale. In addition, because the apparatus stores used beverage containers, it may give off foul odors and have an unsanitary appearance, which may further discourage consumers from visiting the return center. This may also hinder efforts to encourage consumers to recycle beverage containers.